NO LICENSE : ITS STARTLING EFFECTS ON CRIME.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 197, 24 February 1905, Page 2

NO LICENSE : ITS STARTLING EFFECTS ON CRIME.

(TO Tliß XBITOS.) Sib,—As the above is a matter of great public importance, and the exact results so far in New Zealand should be known by everyone, I venture to ask you to publish tba following comparison of crime and drunkenness in the four new no-license areas. Ths tabla is made out for the last completed year of license, viz., let July to 80th June, 02-03, and Rte Ist July to 80th June, 08-04, so there is no choice of period. The crime totals in all the cases but Ashburton are the important matters only—leaving out such trifles as cattle wandering, rabbit prosecutions, etc., which should not be classed os crime- The Ashburton figures are the. full totate as published in the Ashburton Guardian of July Btb, 1904'

This then shows a total reduction of 448 serious matters before the court in one veer in these fpur districts alone. As the great bulk of the * drunkards ware arrested at the tail say stations returning drank from a journey to a license area, the wider ad iption of no license will probably improve even on the above figures for that offence. If the whole of New Zealand voted nolioense, even supposing the ratio of improvement were no better, the result would be an annual decrease of 4720 convictions for drunkenness alone, or of 996 from the total of serious matters before the court each year, - the areas compared having one-twentieth the population of New Zealand. This is a most gratifying result for all temperance workers und justifies our assertion that most crime is caused by drink. Ae the figures that make up ths table have been repeatedly published all over Otego and not challenged they must be regarded as accurate. Thanking you in anticipation, —I am, yours, etc., G. BERNARD NICHOLLS, Otago Agent N.Z. Alliance.

CONVICTIONS FOB DBUNkSNNESB. License NoLicense DeONMB Ashburton 91 19 73 Pt.Chalmers 194 80 114 Muoaura 46 8 38 Bruce 21 9 12 Total Docmmo DruUniieM 236 CONVICTIONS FOB SFBIOVB OFFBXCM. License No licence Decrease* Ashburton 143 72 71 Pt. Chalmers 99 20 79 Meteor* 49 S3 36 Bruce 46 10 36 Total IMOMO Seriona Offonoeo ils